Aftermath
by Lady Eivel
Summary: Disney based. Peter Pan did not escape the blast unscathed. With Tink dead and the boys enslaved, will he be able to recover and save Neverland from his nemesis? PeterWendy, rated for safety.


**Aftermath**

Summary: Peter Pan did not escape the blast unscathed. With Tink dead and the boys enslaved, will he be able to recover and save Neverland from his nemesis?

Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing.

0-0-0

"A bomb? Don't be…" Suddenly, the 'present' started to shake. An unknown noise rang through his head as tendrils of smoke forced their way through the wrappings. Everything happened in moments. Tink darted in front of him and snatched the box away as she flew. A moment later, there was a blinding light and Peter knew no more.

0-0-0

The blast shook the whole of Neverland, rocking the waves on which the pirate ship had rested. Hook took off his hat and held it to his chest.

"So passes a worthy opponent." Smee fingered his cap.

"Amen." He finished solemnly. Hook's expression remained downcast for only a moment before he rounded on the children, who were still staring towards what had been Hangman's Tree with looks of horror on their faces.

"So, what will it be? The pen or the plank?" Wendy turned to him, a tear rolling down her cheek as she quickly composed herself.

"Captain Hook, we will never join your crew!" She spat. Hook scowled at her.

"The lady has chosen." He gestured to his crew. "Tie those brats up. _She_ will go first." A burly crewmember forced Wendy's hands behind her back, tying them so tight she gave an involuntary gasp of pain. The man smirked at her before shoving her in the direction of the plank. She mounted it carefully, trying desperately not to fall or let her calm façade slip. In reality, the emotions were screaming through her. Grief, fear, anger, disappointment all battled for a place as she stepped gracefully along the splintered wooden board. As she reached the end, she paused for only a moment before putting her feet on level decisively. Even as she stepped off the edge of the plank, she still half-expected Peter to catch her, grinning, and tell her it was all a big joke and what a silly girl she had been and how funny the look on her face had been. But it never happened. Gravity snatched her up greedily and she fell like a stone.

For a few seconds after she hit the water, she fell still, sliding through the silent depths. Then strong hands grasped her, dark shapes forming and coalescing into humans. Indians, to be precise. Motioning for her to be silent, they took her up under the stern of the ship so she could breathe before plummeting back again and swimming quickly for the shore. Wendy's lungs were bursting by the time they surfaced, but one look around told her she was safe enough for now. They were in a cove, out of sight of the ship and surrounded by other Indians. As she stood on the beach having her bonds cut, Tiger Lily came to stand in front of her.

"I thought…?" The girl looked troubled as her father cut Wendy off.

"Injuns no want die in water. That no mean we no swim." His bass voice rumbled somewhat harshly as he stood beside his daughter. "You go with Tiger Lily. You follow fast. You no speal, you no ask questions." Wendy nodded as the other girl led her into the woods. She forced a quick pace, one which Wendy was hard pressed to follow. The whole thing was made no easier by her grief, which had begun to settle in. She pushed it to the back of her mind forcefully. She would deal with it later. Tiger Lily was worried, and now she thought about it, her father's voice had held the slightest trace of fear as he had rumbled his instructions at her. Much as she disliked the girl, she would help her.

They stopped at a clearing. Various Indian warriors were throwing water on the swiftly-dying fire in the trees surrounding it, but despite the damage, Wendy knew where she was instantly. This scorched, blackened death zone had once been Hangman's Tree- blessed hideaway of Peter Pan. She choked back a sob as Tiger Lily led her to the crater in the centre.

"You fly. You go down. You find Peter." Wendy shook her head.

"He's dead, how can I? You need happiness to fly…" she was startled as Tiger Lily shook her by the shoulders.

"NO! You can go- he alive, we hear him."

"You're not serious…" Wendy felt as though a weight had been lifted from her mind. Tiger Lily gave a happy whoop and Wendy realised she was drifting upwards. She smiled broadly before setting her mind to the task. "Where is he?"

0-0-0

Pain. That was all Peter knew. The Indian voices that had heard and reassured him were gone, lost to the haze that was rapidly clouding his mind as he sank further and further into unconsciousness.

Then one voice came that he'd thought he'd never hear again.

"Peter? Peter, hang on! I'm coming for you!" A shaft of light pierced through the darkness before Wendy's beaming face cut it off. Peter smiled.

"Told you…" He coughed, tasting something harsh and metallic. Blood. Wendy's face disappeared, but not before he'd seen the flash of concern that had filled it. He vaguely heard her giving instructions, but it felt like a lifetime before he was freed. Strong arms lifted him to where Wendy waited. She looked like an angel as she cradled him. "Hi." He managed, before lapsing into another coughing fit. She held him through it, though his blood spattered her dress. When it had passed, she stroked his forehead gently.

"It's alright Peter. Just get some sleep."

"Hook…?"

"Just rest for now." He was too tired and in too much pain to argue, as the comforting darkness drew him into its embrace.

0-0-0

Wendy's saviours and subsequent actions could never have been guessed by the remainder of the Lost Boys standing horrified on the deck of the _Jolly Roger_. Believing both Peter and Wendy to be dead, their next few hours were spent in numbness. Hook gloated at first, telling them that he had never planned to kill them at all. New crewmembers of a pirate ship had become very hard to come by, ever since the battle with the East India Trading Company had begun, and the boys were told that they would start out as galley slaves. Not that there would be much for them to do for a while save clean, Hook informed them, as now that Peter Pan was dead, Neverland could become a pirate haven, safe from the watchful eyes of ordinary people. All they had to do was stay, be patient and begin the takeover of the island. First though, they would celebrate. The boys would serve drinks and such to (and clean up after) the crew as they spent the next week marking their greatest enemy's death.

Any insurrection, the children were warned, during that time would result in their being thrown overboard to pacify the crocodile.

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A/N So what do you think? I will be on holiday for the next month, so I wanted to get this up now. I should be able to get quite a bit of time for writing during that period, and will hopefully have an update ready for when I return.

Now go on- click that little purple button. You know you want to! ;)


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